The Top Ten Worst Hailstorms in Texas History
As the phrase goes, "everything's bigger in Texas," although it may not necessarily be a positive thing. The Hailstorms in Texas are some of the most damaging on the record. With hailstones estimated to be as comprehensive as 8 inches in diameter, Texas has set records for some of the most expensive years in the history of hailstorm destruction.
Via testing and data collection, the Texas Hailstorm Injury Attorneys at Dick Law Firm has assembled a compilation of hailstorms that have gone down to be the very worst that Texans have ever experienced.
The Top Ten Worst Hailstorms in Texas History (Adjusted For Inflation)
#10 6 June 2018, Carrolton, Texas – $625 million (2019 – $639 million)
In the early morning hours of June 6, Carrolton, Texas, experienced the brunt of an awful hailstorm that shook areas of the Dallas – For Worth city with a 3-inch hailstone diameter.
#9 March 29, 2012, McAllen, Texas – $600 million (2019 – $670 million)
The storm that set off the new tradition of Texas hailstorm injuring lawyers at Dick Law Company, McAllen, was struck by the most significant hailstorm ever reported in the Rio Grande Valley. With the aid of 75 MPH waves, hailstones the size of baseball were frequently pounded on roofs.
#8 – 23 March 2016, Plano, Texas – $700 million (2019 – $748 million)
Thunderstorms formed late Wednesday afternoon and Wednesday evening along a dry line as it climbed east to Interstate 35. Several of these storms were extreme, causing destructive winds, hail, and tornados. In northern Tarrant County, the tornado storm continued to drop massive hail. It headed east to the north of Dallas and southern Collin County, causing around $700 million in cumulative hail loss.
#7 – April 3, 2012, Dallas – Ft. Worth, Texas – $775 million ($866 million in 1919)
A historic outbreak of tornados in North Texas occurred on April 3, with 22 tornadoes developing. In addition to the tornadoes, several areas of the DFW Metroplex have been hit by large hails. Approximately 110 aircraft at DFW International Airport were destroyed by hail and put out of operation before repairs were produced. There were no deaths, and 29 people were wounded.
#6 – 3 April 2014, Denton, Texas – $850 million (2019 – $921 million)
Strong to extreme thunderstorms formed ahead of a dry line passing through the area. These storms were hail producers and primarily impacted areas mainly along and north of US 380 from Decatur to Sulfur Springs. The worst harm was incurred in Denton, where hail up to the size of softballs caused nearly (at the time) $850 million in damage. There have already been three tornadoes in this system.
#5 – 13 June 2012, Dallas – Fort Worth, Texas – $890 million (2019 – $995 million)
Four supercells also created a record-setting hail incident and one tornado throughout areas of North Texas. Two of the four supercells reported across Dallas County, causing over $890 million in hail damage at the time. The hail in Dallas County varied in sizes up to three in diameter. In certain places, the hail persisted for at least 30 minutes. Tens of thousands of vehicles were destroyed by the hail, the windows were smashed, the roofs were damaged, and the leaves shattered the trees.
#4 – April 5, 2003, North Texas-$885 million (2019 – $1.23 billion)
Three storm supercells carried with them massive quantities of hail that pelted all over North Texas, including the Dallas – Fort Worth area, causing losses above (at the time) $885 million. At least three people were wounded by the massive hail that fell during the incident, and various roofs, gutters, walls, aircraft, cars, and trees were destroyed. The damage costs of these storms are expected to begin to increase over the coming weeks and months.
#3 April 28, 1992, Fort Worth—Waco, Texas—$750 million (2019—$1.37 billion)
On April 28, 1992, the evening carried with it one of the most destructive hailstorms of all time, spanning two regions about 100 miles apart. For about five hours, people between Waco and Fort Worth braced when hailstones the size of grapefruits (4.5 in. in. in diameter) broke window glass and decimated roofs.
At this point, no other Texas hail storm in modern history has ever come similar to the amount of destruction that had happened that spring night.
#2 – April 12, 2016, San Antonio, Texas – $1.4 billion (2019 – $1.5 billion)
The high-level low-pressure area across the Southwest Plateau coupled with a persistent front to generate thunderstorms throughout South Central Texas. Any of these storms also created significant giant hail. The strongest hail storm swept across northern Bexar County and reached the north part of San Antonio. The thunderstorm produced 4.5-inch hail between Tezel Rd. and Bandera Rd. in the northwest of San Antonio. This was linked to the biggest hailstone ever recorded in Bexar County. The amount of destruction in San Antonio is projected at $1.4 billion, rendering it the most costly hailstorm in Texas's history before inflation. Estimates issued by the Texas Insurance Council entail harm to 136,000 cars and 125,000 residences.
#1 – May 5, 1995, North Texas – $1.1 billion (2019 – $1.85 billion)
Also recognized as the 1995 Mayfest Storm, just after 5:30 PM CDT, the thunderstorm formed quickly on the Palo Pinto/Parker County line ahead of the intense squall line over the western part of northern Texas. This storm soon turned extreme, producing 18-inch golf-ball-size hail across the southern part of Parker County and flickering floods resulting in two deaths. The storm began to escalate as it traveled to Tarrant County about 7:00 PM CDT, generating baseball-sized hail in Benbrook. As the storm swept east-northeast through Fort Worth, softball-sized hail was recorded in a variety of areas. At Mayfest, a massive outdoor festival in Trinity Park in Fort Worth, an estimated 10,000 people were trapped in the open with no shelter available. Hail up to softball-size hurt several people. The storm proceeded to travel east-northeast through Tarrant County, triggering significant hail, wind disruption, and flash floods culminating in flooding, with one flash of flood death. At 7:48 PM CDT, when the system started to pass through Dallas County, the squall line to the west mixed with a strong thunderstorm. The merger culminated in record rainfall and significant flash floods the rest of the night around Dallas County, with 17 people drowning and several trapped by high water. Complete estimated damage across Parker, Tarrant, and Dallas counties from this storm is estimated at over $1.85 billion in inflation changes, rendering it the most costly hail storm in Texas history.
YOU CAN OBTAIN A HIGHLY SKILLED INSURANCE LAWYER
If your insurance company has refused to honor your policy despite having a valid claim, you can recover damages based on "bad faith." At Dick Law Firm, PLLC, we are committed to fighting for the total compensation you deserve. When you retain our services, we fight to protect your rights as a policyholder.
Hiring a highly-skilled property insurance attorney will help by:
- Significantly increases the value of your claim
- Learning all of the ins and outs of your policy
- Helping you navigate the claims process and negotiations
- Validating the cause and extent of the damage
- Informing you if a claim denial is valid
- Notifying you of all relevant insurance laws
If you have been mistreated or wronged by your insurance company, you can count on us to do everything possible to rectify the situation. We aim to resolve a claim as efficiently and effectively as possible.
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